Dredge and Dodd boost Wales title defence hopes

Wales made a flying start to the defence of their World Cup title in the opening round here yesterday. Four birdies in the first five holes of the day's fourballs gave them a share of the lead with a German team inspired by the veteran Bernhard Langer.

Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd won the two-man team event in Portugal last year, lifting the trophy by virtue of leading after 54 holes when the final round was cancelled because of torrential rain. Although both have won on the European Tour this year - Dredge in the European Masters, Dodd at the European Open - the pair had played down their chances at the Sandy Lane resort this time. Dodd birdied the opening two holes and, after Dredge had picked up another shot on the third, also birdied the fifth.

While Wales were in the last group out, alongside the hosts Barbados, Germany were setting the pace in the first match as Langer marked his first appearance in the World Cup for a decade in style.

Langer, who partnered Torsten Gideon to victory in 1990 and won the now-defunct individual title in 1993, will be eligible for the Seniors Tour next year, but showed he could still compete with the younger generation. He birdied the first, third and 10th while his partner Marcel Siem birdied the par-five ninth.

The Australians John Senden and Mark Hensby were a shot off the lead on three under, with Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley a shot further back. England's Luke Donald and David Howell, favourites to go one better than their runners-up spot last year, were two under par after four, but then could only bogey the fifth to drop three shots off the pace.

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren were also one under, Montgomerie carding their first birdie on the fifth hole.